UFC boss calls St-Pierre's complaints 'kooky'

White, speaking after Wednesday night's fight card at the Arena at Gwinnett Center outside of Atlanta, had harsh words for his former pay-per-view king who announced he was taking a hiatus from the sport after a controversial win over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in November.

"What I heard is Georges St-Pierre is upset about some of the things I said at the (UFC 167) press conference and he's upset that I said that he didn't win the fight, that I thought Johny Hendricks won the fight," White said when asked about GSP's drug-testing comments earlier this week.

"But if that's the case, call me man to man. Let's talk on the phone, let's sit down face to face. I talked to him after the fight face to face, he didn't say any of that to me. So the whole thing is a little weird."

"Everything Georges St-Pierre says is a little kooky," White added.

St-Pierre spoke his mind Tuesday in his native Montreal when asked by a reporter about the UFC not supporting him when he proposed drug testing in the weeks preceding the Hendricks fight.

Johnson two shots off lead

With just a hint of a draw, Johnson's shot landed to the right of the right-side pin and spun to two feet to set up a birdie Thursday that left him two strokes behind first-round leader Patrick Reed in the Humana Challenge.

Thriving on great driving, even better wedge play and putting, Johnson has three worldwide wins in his last seven starts.

He began the run in the BMW Championship in September, and beat Tiger Woods in a playoff in December in the World Challenge after holing a wedge for par on the final hole of regulation. Johnson followed that with a victory two weeks ago in Kapalua.

Johnson finished with a 7-under 65, hitting all 14 fairways at La Quinta Country Club -- the most-demanding driving layout in the three-course event.

Reed had a 9-under 63 in perfect scoring and weather conditions. He ran off five straight birdies in the middle of his bogey-free round on PGA West's Arnold Palmer Private Course and tied his career low.

Goalie mask gets revision

BOSTON -- American goalie Jesse Vetter will have to go to the Olympics without a quote from the U.S. Constitution on her mask.

Vetter's original design included a reference from the preamble to the Constitution, including the iconic script of the opening words, "We the People." But International Olympic Committee rules ban any "form of publicity or propaganda, commercial or otherwise," on uniforms.

Artist Ron Slater says he also had to remove the Olympic rings from the chin on his original design.

And Vetter's name also had to go.

'Omaha' payoff for Peyton

OMAHA, Neb. -- Peyton Manning's foundation for at-risk youth will receive a $500 contribution for every time the Denver Broncos quarterback shouts "Omaha" during the AFC championship game.

Manning brought national attention to Nebraska's largest city with his loud "Omaha" pre-snap calls during the Broncos' playoff win over San Diego last weekend.

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce president and CEO David Brown announced Thursday five Omaha-based companies are combining to donate $500 to Manning's "Peyback Foundation" each time he shouts "Omaha" in Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.

Manning said "Omaha" 44 times in last week's game. The same number against the Patriots would be worth $22,000 to his foundation.

Turner to join Vikings?

MINNEAPOLIS -- Mike Zimmer has a lot to fix on Minnesota's defence. For the issues on the other side of the ball, the new coach of the Vikings has targeted Norv Turner.

Turner has emerged as the likely offensive co-ordinator to lead Zimmer's staff. Turner told The Associated Press in a brief phone interview Thursday he and Zimmer have been talking about the job, though Turner said nothing was finalized yet.

"Hopefully it works out," Turner said.

Zimmer was hired Wednesday to replace coach Leslie Frazier, who was fired Dec. 30, and he's acted quickly to assemble his assistants.

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